Appreciation
by Rhombea
Summary: 3 times in which 3 characters found something to appreciate in their lives. (Kouen X Reader, Myron X Reader, Lo'lo)
1. Chapter 1

"This will take how long?"

There was a certain nervousnessin the prince's voice, only overtaken by the growling tone he let roll with it. From all the things he didn't need that day, it was the carriage breaking down on the way to the next negotiation meeting. Not only would it make him stand in a bad light to come late, but it also would make the people talk about how he wanted to ditch out of this meeting so badly, he lied about his carriage. Kouen knew this was going to happen, and it put him into an angry and frustrated state.

However, the driver kept his cool, even standing his ground against the member of royalty. "I sent the page, ya know, the kid. Anyways, I sent the page to get us a spare wheel from the next town. Might take an hour, or maybe even two hours, but it'll take a while, to get it fixed." Groaning, the prince walked away without any form of goodbye, opening the way into the carriage and slamming the door behind him.

"And?" you asked, not looking up from the scroll in your hand. Just like Kouen, you had your duties to attend to and you were determined to get the information you needed from the paper. "One or two hours," he replied bitterly, sinking down onto the seat in front of you. "Told you so," you replied in a humorous manner, smiling as you read through the sentences. He replied with a grunt, angry that you had been right before when you told him the exact same time span. Or maybe he was just angry at the situation, it wasn't very obvious to you.

You knew too well how important this specific meeting was and the tension running through the prince very well deserved to be there. However, you sighed as you put the scroll aside, leaning forward to touch his knee. "We'll still be on time. It's so early, they don't expect us before sunset anyway," you tried to calm him, smiling at him.

Kouen was not convinced but he at least let out his breath and the tension on his shoulders dissolved slowly. You smiled more when you saw him relax a little and gave his knee some pats with your hands, before leaning back again. Pushing the curtain on the window out of the way you gave the outdoor area a thorough inspection, sighing longingly.

It was beautiful outside. The autumn painted everything in warm orange and brown tones, from the leaves to the grass. Some rare spots of pink and red fluttered through and the falling, yellow leaves that danced on the breeze made you long for a stroll outside. You heard Kouen shuffle in his seat, his hand soon enough pushed the curtain further away, enabling him to look out too as he followed your gaze with his eyes.

"It's pretty…" you sighed, grazing the landside with your look. You hadn't been able to give your mind a break. Instead you had been driving through the country with Kouen, attending meetings and educating yourself on new knowledge to use. There was no time for breaks, by how rapidly the two of you had to get from place to place, and now you really felt just how much you had spent indoors, not even noticing the seasons pass.

Kouen looked over from the spot he was sitting at, inspecting your hair and the soft features of your face as you gazed outside with so much longing. He let out a deep breath, before pulling back from the window and getting up, taking your wrist into his hand gently. "Come," he said and even though you gave him a confused look, you let yourself be pulled out of the carriage by him.

Immediately there were soldiers around the two of you, making sure you are safe. Much to your surprise however, Kouen waved them off, telling them to look after the carriage. You gave the warriors a smile, thanking them for their work, while the prince tugged you along and away. Luckily, he didn't let you follow his footsteps for too long, the position you were in getting uncomfortable.

Then again, you were surprised when he held out his arm, an unusual gesture from Kouen. He wasn't known for being tactful and you had abandoned the thought of him being overly romantic. You couldn't even remember the last time the two of you linked arms, if there even was an opportunity before, so you eagerly took the chance he gave you now.

You couldn't help but smile at his affectionate behavior. Even though his expression didn't change drastically, you noticed how he slowed down his walking to match yours and also leaned to the side a bit so you could easily hold on to him. He wasn't a man of many words, but he made up for it with all the little gestures he expressed randomly. You couldn't be happier to be by his side.

Leading the way, the two of you browsed through the grassy area, the path leading you into an alley of trees. You went quite a bit ahead of the carriage, which was still resting at the place it broke down. The autumn wind was fresh and you felt good when breathing it in, but it also felt a little cold against the few open patches of your clothes, so you drew closer to the arm that was held out for you, seeking the prince's warmth.

Above the two of you, a sudden flock of birds raised up, the sound of their wings and the cooing making you stop and look up. You watched how they flew high and then slowly disappeared from your line of sight. "It's getting colder, they are leaving for a warmer place," you mumbled, staring at the last point you had seen the flying animals. "Indeed," Kouen replied and the two of you slowly continued on your way.

"Soon, all the leaves will have fallen down and everything will be covered by an icy blanket," you sighed, looking down to the path you were walking on, listening to the leaves crunch under your feet. Kouen didn't say anything, taking your words as the facts they were. You understood that there was nothing to add for him, since his words would serve no other purpose than holding small-talk, something he didn't like.

Undeterred, you continued. "You ever think about this, Kouen?" On the call of his name, he turned his head towards you, his eyes burning with a questioning gaze. "About life and death, the endless cycle, I mean…" Biting your lower lip, you lowered your eyes which had met his previously. Cautiously and softly you added, "You were on a battlefield before, did this never cross your mind?"

You could feel his arm tense a little at the mentioning of war. It was his own love-hate relationship with it that urged him to think about your words for a while. There was silence between the two of you, minutes passing as you made your way down a branch of the path. Surprisingly, a small lake opened up before the two of you, a few last ducks circling on top of the water.

The two of you came to a halt and you let go of his arm, both of your limbs falling to the side of your bodies. "What happens…" he grumbled, letting the words fall of his tongue. Then he shrugged before adding, "happens." You looked at him, nodding slowly. His gaze was fixated on the grey-blue of the lake, but you were able to see a small hint of pain in the wrinkles he had on the side of his eyes.

The prince was thinking back to his past and the loss of his heroes at that time, you were sure about that. You were never able to confirm if he was still troubled by it - Kouen would always avoid the topic and there was no clear answer - but you knew. Deep inside it still shook him to the core and with all the responsibility that suddenly was on his shoulders, he never did have the time to come to terms with it.

"So I am not afraid of something that might be. I'll deal with it once its time is drawing close," he finally replied to your question. You tenderly placed your hand on his upper arm, leaning against him without putting much weight on him, and mumbled, "I see." For a moment the silence returned but it wasn't too long until you picked up your voice again.

"I am. I am afraid of the day that I won't be able to spend with you." Though it had cost you a whole lot of confidence to say that, you felt proud to have it off your chest. It wasn't very often that the two of you exchanged words about your feelings and when you thought about it again, you felt a little stupid for doing so, but you also were glad that it was out. Maybe it had been the warmth radiating from him. Or maybe it had been the strength you felt when leaning against his arm. But your voice had left you before you could overthink it. However, you couldn't bring yourself to regret it.

Kouen didn't reply to that. You didn't really expect him to. Instead, the two of you said your farewells to the lake, the last duck swinging its wings and leapt out of the water, leaving its home behind to escape the cold winter. You made your way back to the carriage in silence, only disturbed by the cracking of the leaves and the breeze that rustled the tree crowns.

The carriage came back into sight soon, making you let out a sigh in relief when you made out the page that brought back the wheel, already working on the repairs. That was, until you suddenly felt a warm hand engulf yours, Kouen holding you back slightly and slowing down your steps. It took a few seconds until you two came to a halt and you looked at him expectantly. He didn't meet your gaze, looking stoically forward at the carriage and observing what was going on.

"We need to appreciate what we have. But…" his words got quiet again and for a short moment, he looked at you. It was a soft gaze and his red eyes shimmered affectionately in a light tone. The words that followed were almost inaudible, but even just the motion of his lips got stuck in your head. He let go of your hand, making his way towards the carriage alone.

"But the thought of parting with you does worry me," he had said and you stumbled after him immediately, determined to not let him go back alone. Not now, and not until death will part the two of you.


	2. Chapter 2

The warm water engulfed her immediately as she dipped into it. Myron could feel her cold and strained muscles relax, getting used to the heat that resonated within them. It felt so good to get warm after having to waltz through the snow that fell down mercilessly onto the earth. When Myron breached the surface again, she took a deep gasp before letting her body lie on top of the murky, medicinal water. She stared up at the glass dome above her. Snow appeared from the dark before melting the moment it touched the heated glass. It kept the people inside the bathhouse secured from the white.

It was just a few moments later that you tipped your toes into the water for the first time. Unlike your girlfriend, you took the steps into the water and not jumped right into it. That much dignity you had, even though you couldn't blame her for not following rules for once. Your legs in the warm water and your body still outside made you shiver lightly. Even if the bathhouse was heated, you still felt so cold after the long walk from your home to this place. Quickly, you paced down the stairs and let your body sink into the comfortable water.

It didn't take long for her to float up to you. Myron had closed her eyes, though the moment the two of you bumped gently into each other, she opened one and gave you a grin. "Took you long enough to get here, [Name]!" You splashed some water at her before proceeding to swim a bit around the pool borders. There was some motion as Myron also turned and got next to you, giggling at your playful pout.

"The water feels really good. I don't know when the last time I felt so relaxed was," she sighed, a soft smile playing on her lips. You nodded, promptly dipping into the water with your head and coughing up some of it that dared to enter your lungs. Stopping, you stood up in the water and waited for the fit to end while Myron couldn't help but laugh. She did halt in her tracks too and patted your back until your coughs stopped. "Are you okay?" she asked, wiping off a collection of water on her cheek, undefinable if it was tears or actual water.

It took you a minute or so until you felt stable enough to return to swimming again. But alas, the two of you picked up your pace, paddling through the water. The medical aroma helped you to calm down quickly and you also noticed some of your sore muscles recovering from the previous cold that had your bones shaking vigorously. "I can't remember the last time winter was so extreme…" Myron mumbled, floating next to you again.

You hummed your reply, agreeing to her. There wasn't a time in your childhood or early teens either that you had seen quite that aggressive of a snow downpour. Not only you two - even though you could be happy to be in the warm pool now - had your struggles with the cold weather. People all over Reim seemed to have to fight at the moment and you didn't feel like complaining when the two of you had it pretty good in comparison.

Instead, you simply tried to appreciate what you had in front of you. You appreciated how the water seemed to flow with your movements and how pleasant the atmosphere was in the public bath. It was calm, but not dead quiet, either the water gurgling or the faint, few voices of other visitors rang through the silence. And then, you had the best company you could wish for. Your eyes grazed Myron, who was silently looking at the ceiling, only shifting her head slightly towards your direction when she felt your look on her skin.

You smiled at her and she gave you a confused, "What?" in reply. "Nothing," you said. "Just thinking." She shrugged and you giggled lightly, the two of you reaching the far end of the pool after a while of silently dragging your bodies through the water. That area was especially quiet and a little secluded, considering there were almost no visitors anyway. You placed your hands on the edge of the pool carefully, pulling yourself out with a huff.

Running your hands through your hair, you were able to watch the water drops fall down from your body, trickling back into the pool. "Exhausted already?" Myron teased, watching you from a bit farther inside the water. With your free left hand, you dipped into the water and threw it upwards into her direction. "Give me a break, you sport-freak!"

Laughing, she dodged the splash of water, diving into the pool only to reveal herself seconds later right before you. You couldn't move aside as she shot upwards, giving you a big, wet smooch and flopping backwards into the liquid again. You felt the warmth rise up into your cheeks, though you were unsure if it really was from the affection or the warmth of the bath. However, it did make you smile softly at your girlfriend, who in return gave you a cheeky grin.

Even though the two of you were bickering back and forth a lot, when she approached you again, you didn't make any moves to get any more revenge on her. Instead, you let her place her hands on your thighs since your feet were still dangling in the water. Next that followed was her head and you caught yourself looking at her adoringly. Your girlfriend rested in your lap, taking a deep breath of the medical steam and relaxing.

Lovingly, you put your right hand on her head, using your left to lean back in your seated position. First, you ran your fingers through her hair, twirling the ends between your pointer and thumb for a bit. Then you made sure to run it along the back of her head, flicking some wet strands of hair out of the way and tickling the back of her neck. Myron let out a signature purr, making you smirk about the sound of the cat-like feature.

"It's good we are inside," you whispered. She nodded against your skin in reply. "Warm and safe," you continued, noticing how she took a deep breath and hummed. "Thank you for being here, Myron. I really appreciate you taking me with you and giving me a chance to be with you." The words escaped before you could realize them in your head. You had been swept away by the mood. By the warm bath, the medical steam, the affection of your girlfriend. Everything had been coming together in that moment, and left you through your words.

She shuffled in your lap, looking up at you sheepishly. A soft red was spreading on her face too now, though again, indeterminable if it was the mood or the warmth. "You're so cheesy," she muttered, grinning widely at you again. "Oh? But you seem to like it," you concluded, teasingly poking into her red cheeks. "O-Oh, shut it." Embarrassed, she brushed your hand off, nuzzling her face into your knees again.

Laughing, you leaned down, kissing the top of her head. "Cheesy," she breathed against your skin, making you laugh even more from the tickling sensation. You looked up against the glass dome above you. The snow had finally stopped falling and there was only the dark night that towered over the two of you. You heard her moving in the water, the liquid making noises, and she took away her hands, only to cup your cheeks with them.

You looked down again, leaning into her hands and the soft touch. "Thank you for coming with me. I, too, appreciate you being here with me right now." And with that she carefully pulled you down while lifting herself out of the water to meet in another kiss. The moment she released you from the affectionate kiss again, you smiled at her, whispering, "Queen of cheesy, aren't you?"

"Oh, shut up!" she said again, and the two of you couldn't help but laugh about it in unison.


	3. Chapter 3

The evening was still a bit chilly, after all, it was only spring. But that didn't do anything to the people celebrating, laughing and drinking at huge, wooden tables surrounded by benches. There was the constant clinking of kegs, accompanied by whole-hearted laughter and amused voices. The fire of the torches that were scattered around the big plaza in the central of Reim were the only sources of light, but no one was bothered by the slight darkness around them.

Everyone attended the spring festival, no one stayed home and missed the merry opportunity. Even the flowers in their beds had opened their buds for this day, welcoming the sun in the morning and the festivity in the night. On the rather small stage some artists were showing off their acts, changing between all of them so everyone got their fair share of showtime. People laughed about their jokes, sang along to their songs and stared in admiration at the firebreather and the jugglers.

It was happy and loud, but the loudest table was the one of the fanalis corps. Even they had to take a break every once in a while and what could be better than a festivity? And so, Muu had asked everyone to join him for the night, beverages spilling over the table everytime the fanalis toasted to each other - something that happened more often that night. Their roaring laughter and deep voices boomed through the streets and everyone was delighted by how frolicsome the strongest soldiers were.

Of course, whenever there was alcohol going around and everyone got a little out of touch with themselves, there were smaller arguments, mostly ending in the two participants getting angry at each other before sitting back and continuing their drinking with each other. They seemed like a bunch of careless children if you looked at them from afar, but they stuck together tighter after an argument than even siblings would.

However, the loudest on the table were Lo'lo and a freshly joined fanalis. He was a young and naive person but instantly liked for his chipper demeanor and positive influence on everyone. But of course, young and boisterous as he was, he thought he could take on the strongest fanalis, and Lo'lo wouldn't let that sit with him. After reprimanding the little one on the training grounds, the two were almost finished with their drinking contest and of course, Lo'lo simply had the experience to down his keg faster.

"It's not fair!" the newcomer moaned in defeat, slurring the words already due to his alcohol consumption. "You beat me in everything!" he continued to complain, acting as if he was crying and pouting. All Lo'lo could do was laugh. "Of course I did, you beginner!" the older fanalis bellowed, raising his keg to toast to the fanalis around them who were watching the spectacle. Everyone laughed at the two who were joking around and battling each other in a friendly way.

It didn't take long for the newcomer to raise his voice again, the laughter slowly fading out to listen to his words. "Yeah, yeah…" he finally acknowledged, sipping on his glass thoughtfully. "But, you know guys-" his speech was interrupted by the bench behind them starting to laugh hysterically about something the fanalis didn't know about. Every one of the tough soldiers looked back at the other bench, before turning towards the new fanalis again, hoping they'd be able to hear him now.

"So like, I am really grateful to all of you." Everyone of the assembled fanalis got quiet, lowered their glasses and looked at the boy who was fidgeting with his keg. "If it wasn't for you guys taking me in, I would have just continued to roam the streets and do what I have to do. And now…" he looked up and around the faces of his comrades. "Now I have people I can hang out with and have fun." He looked at Lo'lo, grinning an innocent grin from ear to ear. "And sometimes get smashed in the ground when I get too cocky."

To that, a few people started to laugh, including Myron and Yaqut. Lo'lo too, showed off his wide smile and leaned forward to give the boy a few, strong pats on the shoulder. "Mister big-corny-speaker, aren't we?" Everyone laughed louder in response, the group falling back into light chatter and a cheerful mood. There were a few more toasts and everyone was chipperly talking amongst each other, even the new guy bloomed up again after his emotional confession.

All except for Lo'lo. Lo'lo held back on his words, unusual for the loud man, but he only sipped on his drink quietly. Even if he'd never admit it, the words of the youngster had touched him. Looking around he looked at his comrades, friends, the people he spent all his days with. He had seen them crying and angry, and he was seeing them happy and laughing now. Between them stood trust and respect, fighting back to back on the battlefield.

Lo'lo too felt thankful for all the times they welcomed him back when he had fled out of anger or frustration. No one ever mocking him for his looks or his scars. People accepting his aggressive battle behavior, but pushing him back when he goes too far without judging him for it. He could be himself around them and they'd still smile, and laugh, and cry with him. How could he not appreciate them tolerating him like this?

"Lo'lo, what's wrong? Didn't know you were the quiet type after drinking!" Myron approached him, her voice playful as she teased him. She poked his right cheek, his cocky grin returned to his face, and he pushed her hand away "Nothing," he grumbled simply, rising from his seat and lifting up his drink.

"On the fanalis," he simply toasted, meeting roaring agreement as everyone toasted towards him.

On the fanalis, he thought in his head.

 _My comrades, my friends, my family._


End file.
